


U-Turn

by RectifiedPear



Category: Monster Rancher
Genre: Canon Related, Canon Retelling, Canonical Character Death, F/M, Happy Ending, Oneshot, POV First Person, Post-Canon, Redemption, Twoshot, implied happy ending
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2018-10-13
Updated: 2018-10-13
Packaged: 2019-08-01 15:02:06
Rating: General Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 2
Words: 1,833
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/16286789
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/RectifiedPear/pseuds/RectifiedPear
Summary: Done back in 2008, this is a twoshot about the series that is really, really old.





	1. Chapter 1

**Author's Note:**

> Old Author Note: I felt tempted to write a small story about Naga. But after I typed it, I crammed it away in a cubby-hole, and now, I've decided that good or bad, I'm still posting this thing!
> 
> In episode 35 of Monster Rancher, Genki and the gang fought Naga, the one who had destroyed Holly and Suezo's village. After a lengthy fight involving everyone but Holly getting hurt, Naga goes after Holly. He's so busy taunting her with his words that he fails to notice Moochi charging up his Moochi Cannon. Moochi fires and Naga is sent flying over the edge of a stone bridge, Naga just barely saves himself by grabbing the edge. He dangles by a hand over the distant ground. Suddenly Holly offers her hand to him.
> 
> This fic is told from Naga's point of view.
> 
> New Author's Note: It is shocking how little M.R content there is here, so I'm thinking of starting to contribute to that, apologies that it begins with an old short fic.

There is a pause, I have fallen, and I'm going to die. This I am certain of. There above me, over the steep edge, is the girl, Holly. The person I have ruined the life of. I know this now, and I feel the weight of it as I try to get back up. She will not help me, nor the other human, Genkim nor any of the monsters around them. I am a 'baddie', one of Moo's army, one of the best there has ever been. I cannot die like this-

"If we don't save the enemy, we'll be as bad as Moo." The girl says.

Those words, the kindness she shows me even after I destroyed her village. I don't deserve it. I cannot see anything they would gain from this, and it infuriates me. They're not full of hate, their eyes are emotional, but I watch them all come to the same conclusion.

"Here, grab on." Genki and Moochi say as they offer their hands as well.

I can only gaze blankly, why do they offer to help me? I would have destroyed them all in a heartbeat, and yet, they believe there is good in me? Don't they understand, I will hurt them again and again? What fools they are! I still can destroy them, if I just reach out and pull them down with me, but what's the point?

"Grab on, Naga." Suezo says though he's still angry. They would save a baddie like me? It all makes no sense.

My eyes widen as I stare upon all of them. They're a force, and there's a tint around them. Around each of them is something I swear only I can see. Their power, it comes from caring. As long as they stick together, they will be invincible . . . I was on the wrong side all along. The realization hits me. I feel a feeling so foreign, a guilt, that had never been known before, rise in my heart. I cannot pull them down like this. They can't die this feeble death. But they also cannot pull me up, they'll die trying. To let them die like that would be worse than to admit defeat before my entire army and kind. 

"So that's why you're so strong." I say, as I release my hold and fall to what would be any mortals' death, but for a monster it is a deep slumber within a lost disk. A possible death, but not a certain one. 'Maybe, if they do revive the Phoenix . . . Maybe then I can start anew. And seeing as how they are already stronger than anything I've ever encountered. Maybe, just maybe, they just might succeed in defeating Master Moo.' I think, as the darkness engulfs me and my body transforms into a lost mystery disc. The impact's pain fades to nothing.

 

It was about a year and a half later when I awoke, another monster, a young Weed stood before me. I looked around; I had been revived from my disc. The way everything was, it was clear that Master Moo would not have allowed me to be revived had I failed. That meant. . .

'It seems Genki and the others were successful in their quest.' I realized, stretching before becoming shocked. 'Wait, they really did it? They defeated Master Moo?' I cannot help but find myself in surprise. The being before me tells me how long I was out. He looks nervous, as though he had no idea he'd bring me back. I cannot blame him, if anything, I'm a wanted criminal or a traitor to my own kind. Regardless, I smile gratefully at the Weed.   
"Thank you for reviving me." I say to it. The Weed just smiles nervously. I wave at it before leaving.

I had a lot of training to do. Becoming a lost disc causes you to lose all of your previous strength and attacks. I eventually regained all of my previous abilities and then some. I was no longer looking for a fight with anyone, only fighting when I really needed to.


	2. Chapter 2

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Old Author's Note: This is from episode 63.
> 
> New Author's Note: There was originally a plan to this, the implied romance ending fit very much into what the old show tended to pull in my mind, but honestly at the time I wanted Naga to have something more than what he did in show. It came out cheesy and quite honestly, the plans for where it went were... they were something, I guess.

Later I was reunited with the gang when Genki was looking for a monster to fight in the Legendship Master Cup along with Moochi and a monster tried to steal his money. I then fought against a Techno Dragon, which I easily beat less than ten seconds after the match started. Heh, a simple punch to the chest and down he went. Four more monsters fell victim that day before we took a break. Then lo-and-behold the final two contenders turned out to be Gali and Sandy. Both had been baddies once, like I, myself had.

It was amazing to see they'd reformed. Least, seemed like they had. 

I watched Moochi fight Sandy, using his Moochi Roll to disorientate the wall panel monster before using his Double Pounder. Then Sandy used a Trio Beam almost defeating the boy, but Moochi stood strong and braced himself before storing enough energy for a Moochi Cannon. And that knocked Sandy out of the battle.

One victory down, and one to go, and now it was my turn to fight.

"You can do it Naga," Genki said to me from the side of the ring.

'Of course I can.' I thought, flexing my claws.

He quickly lashed out at me with his Solar Knuckles, which I ducked and tried to land some punches unsuccessfully. He then hit me with a second Solar Knuckles attack, knocking me backwards. I was being beaten every which way and the battle looked lost.

Then everyone began to call out, telling me that I could do it. I felt their courage and got back up to face Gali, I grabbed his Solar Knuckles with both fists before staring at the sun-masked monster.

"Feel this? This is real strength, this is courage." I said before crushing the attack in my claws and pulling back while gathering a purple energy orb in my palms.

"Mystic Shot!"

I threw it at him, and he was sent soaring far off. The crowd went wild, cheering for me with vigor.

Gali stopped us in the street to tell me I had impressed him with my Mystic Shot attack. And then the others and me bid both him and Sandy adieu.

Then, I too, was off. They told me we'd meet again. Even tried to offer me some of their prize money, but I refused to accept it for knowledge that they would need it in their journey. I told them I was going to train for the next Legend Cup Championship. And I felt the eternal bliss of forgiveness when Suezo stopped me to say thanks and good luck. In that big eye of his I saw forgiveness and trust. I hoped I'd never lose that trust should we ever meet again.

And then we parted ...

 

I spent two years training in the jungle. I was about to head off when I ran into her. A loud scream broke through my thoughts and I caught a whiff of fresh blood. I was feeling hungry and hoped that whatever it was that was hurt was edible. I decided to go look.  
What I saw made me pause in shock; another Naga of a different species was chomping down on a Baku juvenile. Watching her tear into the large boarish monster's flesh made me hungry tenfold. 

I knew not to possibly start a fight with another Naga, it's been ages since I've even seen one of my own kind. So I announce myself. "Excuse me," I say and then catch the glint of her eyes before she stiffened. She hissed at me, raising her claws.

"You want to fight?" The voice confirms her a female, and I falter.

I give a shrug of my shoulder, attempting to relax around her. "No, I would rather we share, might you be so kind?"

She hesitates around me, and I could tell she doubts me with every sideways glance she throws. "... No."

With a defeated sigh I sit down not too far from her, "Alright."

"Who are you?" She asked after a few more bites.

It gets terribly confusing to state one's name, we do not often have true names. Tiger of The Wind is one of the only 'names' in monster kind's records, and he is still simply called Tiger by most. We're all Naga, or would be, if my own kind were not scarce. "I'm Naga, who are you?" I reply feeling as though her black and white furred body should have registered with me by now. I've never seen such, but it feels... familiar.

"I'm HakTak." My confusion must be obvious. "I'm a Naga and Ripper hybrid." She adds.

'Ripper? Why didn't I realize that? I should be able to tell her other genes by just seeing those colours.' I think chide-fully. I should have some reply. Ask her if she is alone. Ask her if she knows of the past fights, the story of Genki, the history of Moo. I cannot bring myself to do such, to damn myself and spill who I am in hopes she runs like she probably wants to. 

"...You sure are pretty," I mutter to myself instead.

She pauses and I think I see her blush, but I'm not sure if it was actually a blush or I was seeing things. "W-what? What did you say?" she asks, amber eyes critical.

"I said, 'you sure are pretty'." I reply. My stomach grumbles and I try to ignore it. She seems amused by me, smiling she reaches down and tears a big hunk of Baku meat off of her meal before throwing it towards me. I catch it with my arms and take a big bite before speaking again. "Thank you." I say.

"Mm-hmm," She mumbles back, she seems to be blushing still.

We eat in silence, finishing our food. I lick my lips and thank her again before I turn and slither away.

"W-wait!" Her voice calls.

I pause, 'What could she want now?' I wonder. "Yes?" It is not mating season, monsters barely mate. I am strong and could protect her, but I also scare her. She looks at me, then down at her hands. I worry I'm a monster in my own kind's eyes. She fidgets, and I cannot help but think it cute how she fiddles with her claws. It is now that I am taking in all of her, and she is pretty. It's been a long time since I have laid eyes upon my own kind in such a way, I honestly cannot remember a time before this. Has it ever existed?

"W-would you like to stay?" She tilts her head, "With me?"

There are many questions, with 'why' being the biggest. Why would a stranger ask another stranger to stay? Why would she have any faith in me to be friendly? They buzz in my head. I choose to swat them away.

I nod, "Yes."

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Old Author's Note: Don't ask me if I'll continue this, 'cause I have no intention of doing so and I can say honestly that I certainly never will.
> 
> New Author's Note: This twoshot's done, but I do have potential ideas in the future for more M.R work.


End file.
